The DGs of seven clusters form the DRDO's second rung who report to the organisation's Director-General. She has assumed charge from distinguished scientist and Director General Dr K D Nayak, who was holding Additional charge as Director General Electronic & Communication Systems. Manjula has the honour of being the first woman Director General of DRDO cluster.

We take a look at some facts about J Manjula, the first woman woman Director General of DRDO.

> Manjula has been leading Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE), an establishment of DRDO, as a Director since July 2014.

> She has served in Defence Electronics Research Laboratory, Hyderabad, for more than 26 years in the area of Integrated Electronic Warfare.

> She is an alumna of the Osmania University and an electronics and communications engineer.

> According to DRDO, Manjula has designed and realised fast signal acquisition receivers, high power RF systems, responsive jammers, controller software etc for various systems inducted in Army, Navy, Air Force and Paramilitary

> Born in 1962 in Andhra Pradesh's Nellore district to high school principal J Sriramulu, Manjula had to fight many odds when she was a student. At a time when many families saw little need to educate the girl child, her parents were encouraging. But they were unable to provide her education in mathematics which she aspired to.

> She struggled to make her way through, joined DRDO in 1987 and served in the Defence Electronics Research Laboratory, Hyderabad, for over 26 years in the area of integrated electronic warfare.

> She is the recipient of DRDO Award for Performance Excellence, Scientist of the Year 2011.